There are numerous mechanisms which display rotating elements or wheels that spin at varying velocities, and especially toys such as tops, yoyos and "Frisbies" in the category of toys or amusement devices, educational devices such as gyroscopes, and skates in the category of athletic devices; or any like toy and/or device whether of an amusement or serious nature where a rotating element exists and is revealed to view. Although a wheel may spin at varying speeds, the wheel per se is not operable in itself to establish sight and sound effects, except for the visible turning of spokes or the like at low speeds and perhaps the extraneous sounds of bearings and peripheral wind noise at high speeds. Therefore, the sight and sound of a conventional wheel is rather insignificant and not at all distinctive or indicative of the wheel velocity attained. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an inertial device and friction drive means therefor, by which kinetic energy is made available to operate sensory effect producing means to be sensed by persons operating the device or in proximity thereto.
In the many wheel applications of the prior art, angular momentum and the fly-wheel phenomenon is ever present and is the principle which stabilizes tops, yoyos, "Frisbies" and gyroscopes. These various devices rely principally upon a singular rotating mass supported on anti-friction bearings or the like. In other words, the mass has heretofore moved as one body and as friction free as possible. However, friction is ever present and it is a general object of this invention to advantageously employ the ever present friction in drive means which stores and/or makes kinetic energy available to perform the functions or producing sight and/or sound effects. In carrying out this invention there is a secondary inertial body in addition to a primary rotating device, and a friction drive means or bearing therebetween by which the secondary inertial body is driven from rotation of the primary rotating device.
It is an object of this invention to provide a visible lighting effect associated with a rotating device, and which produces dots and dashes of light is an arcuate pattern dependent upon the relative angular velocities of primary and secondary bodies revolving on a common axis. In carrying out this invention, there is a secondary inertia wheel operable with a primary inertia wheel which comprises a housing that carries a power supply that is commutated to periodically energize a light emitting means. In practice, a self sufficient battery operated Light Emitting Diode (LED) circuit is controlled by the differential speeds of rotation between the said primary and secondary bodies.
Another object of this invention is to provide an audible effect associated with a rotating device, and which produces sound of varying volume and/or pitch dependent upon the relative angular velocities of primary and secondary bodies revolving on a common axis. In carrying out this invention, there is a secondary inertia wheel operable in the form of a siren rotor within a cage formed by a primary inertia wheel which comprises the body of the device, and which is operable at differential speed of rotation from the said primary wheel or body.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a cooperative combination of the two aforesaid sight and sound effect means, incorporated in a device which comprises primary and secondary inertial bodies, and wherein a reversible friction drive means is provided for transfering kinetic energy into the said secondary body from said primary body.